Kate Moore Barry

The British are coming – Kate Moore Barry – Heroine of the Battle of Cowpens

Kate Moore Barry (born Margaret Catharine Moore) was born near Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1752. She served as a scout for the patriot militia during the American Revolutionary War. Her home, Walnut Grove Plantation, still exists today as a tourist attraction in Roebuck, South Carolina, just outside Spartanburg.

Barry is best known for her bravery in warning that British troops were coming thus securing an important battle in America’s fight for independence, now known as the Battle of Cowpens. The story goes that when she heard the news, she tied her newborn infant to her bedpost, ran to her horse and rode out using a shortcut through the woods to safely warn neighbors the British were coming. Winning this battle ultimately led to removing the British leader Cornwallis out of South Carolina.